The flash floods that struck central Texas on July 4 have left at least 104 people dead, including 27 at Camp Mystic, a Christian girls’ summer camp. The Guadalupe River rose 26 feet in just 45 minutes, destroying homes and sweeping people away.
Among the victims was 21-year-old Joyce Catherine Badon, who tragically texted her family, “we’re being washed away,” moments before her phone went silent. Her body was found days later. “We found our lovely daughter who blessed us for 21 years,” her mother, Kellye, wrote on Facebook.
Kerr County has seen the worst of the devastation with 84 deaths. Other counties, including Travis and Kendall, have also reported casualties. The search continues for at least 11 more people, including 10 campers and one counselor.
Stella Thompson, a 13-year-old survivor from Camp Mystic, described the panic and prayers shared in her cabin as helicopters circled overhead. “It didn’t look like Camp Mystic anymore,” she said after being evacuated.
Volunteers and emergency crews are still combing the area for the missing. As one rescuer put it, “the house collapsed around 4am.” Texas continues to grieve as families search for answers and mourn unimaginable losses.